Adjustable footrest assembly



7 Aug. 19, 1969 I a. F. GIELOW ETAL. 3,462,194

ADJUSTABLE FO'OTREST ASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 26, 1967 2 Sheets-Shet 1 .2225i INvENToRs GEORGE E G/ELOW ROBERT. L. EDWARDS Aug. 19, 1969 G. F.GIELOW, ETAL 3,462,194

ADJUSTABLE FOOIREST ASSEMBLY Filed Sept. 2G, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 illINVENTORS GEORG'E F G/ELOW ROBERT L. EDWARDS BY 0 3MMW2M {4M ATTORNEYS3,462,194 ADIUSTABLE FOOTREST ASSEMBLY George F. Gielow and Robert I...Edwards, Mansfield, Ohio, assignors to Artnell Company, Chicago, 11]., acorporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 26, 1967, Ser. No. 670,613 Int. Cl.A474: 7/50 US. Cl. 297-425 14 Claims ABSTRACT UP THE DISCLOSURE Anadjustable footrest for vehicle seating and the like using a treadlepivoted between hangers with a toggle linkage connected to the treadleholding the hangers in different positions of elevation in response topivotal movement of the treadle.

DISCLOSURE In transportation vehicles of the type mentioned, thepassengers frequently remain in their seats for relatively long periodsof time before reaching their destination. As a result, the comfort andconvenience of the passenger while seated is an important designconsideration in the manufacture of seats for transportation vehicles.

It is, of course, highly desirable to provide a footrest unit which canbe adjusted for people of different size or length. One such device veryadequately serving as an adjustable footrest is that shown in theaforementioned copending application. However, the treadle which swingson the hangers contains two spaced foot support pads and is relativelybulky, this creating problems in seat access and cleaning of thevehicle. A larger swing radius for the treadle makes it more difficultto operate. In such prior footrest, the hanger remains stationary inoperating position and the treadle is pivoted to obtain two alternatefootrest elevations. With the present invention a more compact treadleis provided which pivots the hanger to different elevations in responseto pivoting of the treadle. The entire somewhat smaller assembly canreadily be elevated against the back of the seat ahead for cleaning andaccess.

It is accordingly a principal object of the present invention to providean adjustable footrest of a compact nature which is easy to operate.

Another important object is the provision of such footrest which willfirmly support the weight of a persons feet and legs in alternatepositions of elevation.

A further object is the provision of a treadle operated adjustablefootrest which includes a toggle mechanism firmly holding the treadle indifferent elevations.

Yet another object is the provision of a lightweight compact adjustablefootrest which can readily be pivoted upwardly flush against the seatahead to clear the floor.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent as the following description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention,then, comprises the features hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in the claims, the following description andthe annexed drawings setting forth in detail a certain illustrativeembodiment of the invention, this being indicative, however, of

BAfiZJM Patented Aug. 19, 1369 but one of the various ways in Which theprinciples of the invention may be employed.

In said annexed drawings:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the footrest assembly of the invention,with the same shown operatively mounted at the bottom and rear of avehicle seat, shown fragmentarily in this figure. The footrest assemblyis shown in solid lines in its lowermost position, with the intermediateand non-operational positions thereof being shown in dashed lines;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation, partially broken away, taken in thedirection of line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary section taken substantially on theline 3-3 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a similar section taken substantially on the line 44 of FIG.1;

FIG. 5 is, a section taken on line 55 of FIG. 1 in a plane normal tothat of FIGS. 3 and 4; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged vertical fragmentary section taken substantiallyon the line 66 of FIG. 1.

Referring now to the annexed drawings and more particularly to FIGS. 1and 2, there is illustrated a vehicle seat shown generally at 1 to theback lower end of which the present invention is secured. The seatincludes in usual manner a back rest section 2 and a seat portion 3, thedetails of which form no part of the present invention. The seatincludes a cross frame member 4 extending between the side frame members5 and 6. Pairs of channel-shaped supporting brackets indicated at 8, 9and 10, 11 are secured to the cross frame member 4. Pivot pins 12 and 13extend through thhe lower ends of each pair of bracket members and suchpins are accommodated each in bushings 14 and 15 which are aligned andsecured to the interior of the bracket members as shown for such bracketmembers 10 and 11 in FIG. 6.

Such pins 12 and 13 pivotally support hangers seen generally at 16 and17, each of which is comprised of mating dog-leg channel-shape hangermembers 18 and 19, and 20 and 21, respectively. Such hanger members maybe provided with circular side wall apertures as indicated at 22. inFIG. 1 to reduce the weight thereof.

A treadle assembly 24 is pivotally mounted between the hangers 16 and 17near the distal or lower end thereof and the details of such pivotalmounting are seen more clearly in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. The rectangular endwalls 25 of the treadle assembly 24 are provided with outwardlyprojecting hexagonal pins 26 which fit within apertures of similarsection within sleeves 27, the outer surface of which is cylindrical andwhich fits through aligned apertures in the hanger members as indicatedat 28 and 29 in FIG. 4. Each pin is held to the sleeve in the respectivehanger by means of the fastener 30 and washer 31 illustrated.

Each sleeve 27 includes a pair of projecting lugs seen at 33 and 34 inFIGS. 3 and 5 between which extends removable roll pin 35 and on whichthe offset end 36 of link 37 is pivoted. The opposite end of the link 37is pivoted in similar fashion at 38 to the bifurcated distal end of stoparm 39, the proximal end of which is secured to the pivot pin 13 by setscrew 44]. It is noted, as seen in FIG. 1, that the stop arm 39 isprovided with an offset projection as indicated at 41 which engages stopmember 42 secured to the bracket members 10 and 11 precluding the stoparm from pivoting further in a counterclockwise direction as viewed inFIG. 1 than the full line position shown. Pivotal movement in aclockwise direction as viewed in such figure is, however, uninhibitedexcept for friction created by the washer springs 43 and 44. seen inFIG. 6.

A helper spring 45 is connected betwen lug 46 on the link 37 and lug 47on the stop arm 39' and the tension force of the spring tends to pivotthe link in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1 about the distalend of the stop arm 39 or the pivot 38.

Each hanger assembly is provided with stops for the pivotal movement ofthe treadle assembly 24 and as seen in FIG. 1 clockwise pivoting of thetreadle assembly 24, is limited by the stop 49 while counterclockwisemovement is limited by the stop 50, the latter being interior of thehanger assembly and engaging the lugs 33 and 34 with the offset portion36 of the link 37 therebetween, such lugs, of course, rotating with thetreadle assembly being mounted on the hex shafts 26.

OPERATION Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, there isillustrated in full lines the lowermost position for the footrest and inphantom lines at 52 the intermediate operational position of thefootrest. A third non-operational position is shown in phantom lines at53 and in this storage position, the footrest may be positionedsubstantially flush against the back of the seat 1 to clear the spacebetween the seats as well as the floor. The footrest will be held in thestorage position by the friction creating spring washers 43 and 44.

When the person occupying the seat to the rear of the seat 1 decides touse the footrest it may be pulled down to the full line position untilthe projection 41 engages the down stop 42. In this position the treadleassembly 24 will be pivoted against the stop 49. If in such lowermostposition the footrest is too low or too far from the seat for the user,it may readily be positioned in the intermediate elevation 52 bypivoting the treadle assembly 24 in a counterclockwise direction asviewed in FIG. 1. As soon as the center of the hex pins 26 pass over theline between the centers of the roll pins 35 and 38, the helper spring45 will assist in pivoting the footrest structure to the intermediateposition 52. As the treadle assembly 24 is pivoted, the center of pin 35orbits about the center of hex pin 26 in a clockwise direction as viewedin FIG. 1 lengthening the required distance between the center of hexpin 26 and the center of the pivot pin 38, the latter being fixedbecause of the engagement of the offset portion 41 of the stop arm 39against the down stop 42 precluding pivotal movement of the stop arm ina counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1. This then requiresthat the hanger assemblies 16 and 17 pivot upwardly. The hangerassemblies will actually move up and then begin to move down as the pin35 passes over center between the pins 26 and 38. Such down movementwill be stopped by engagement with the stop 50 and this will hold thefootrest in the intermediate position. The normal weight of a personsfoot will be in the direction of the arrow 55 which is offset from thehex pin 26 and this tends to pivot the treadle assembly 24 in acounterclockwise direction urging the arms 33 and 34 against the stop50. In such intermediate position, the link 37 becomes a brace holdingthe footrest.

To place the footrest from the intermediate to the lowermost position,the treadle assembly 24 is pivoted in a clockwise direction opposite thedirection of the arrow 56 and this again causes the pivot 35 to orbitabout the hex pin pivot 26 shortening the required distance between thepivots 3 8 and 26 causing the hangers 16 and 17 to descend. Continuedpivotal movement will move the center of hex pin 26 over center betweenthe pins 35 and 38 and with the treadle against the stop 49, thefootrest will be locked in its lower position. It is noted that thetreadle assembly is provided with opposite substantially parallel feetengaging surfaces and that such surfaces will be at approximately thesame angle of inclination in both the lowermost and intermediatepositions. However, it can be appreciated that the treadle assemblyswings more than 180 about the pivot 26 to obtain this parallelismbecause of the change in the angle of inclination of the hangers. Thefootrest assembly can readily be elevated to the storage position 53simply by manually raising the same and it will be frictionally held insuch position until required for use.

It can now be seen that there is provided a compact simplified footrestassembly which can readily be adjusted to obtain different elevationsand which can readily be placed in storage to clear the area between theseats.

We, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as ourinvention:

1. A footrest for vehicle seating and the like comprising a hangerpivotally mounted to extend downwardly and toward the user, a treadlepivotally mounted near the distal end of said hanger, and toggle linkmeans interconnecting said treadle and the proximal end of said hangeroperative to change the elevation of said hanger in response to pivotalmovement of said treadle.

2. A footrest as set forth in claim 1 wherein said toggle link meansincludes an arm extending from the proximal end of said hanger, an armextending from the pivot of said treadle, and a link interconnectingsaid arms.

3. A footrest as set forth in claim 2 including a helper springinterconnecting said first mentioned arm and said link.

4. A footrest as set forth in claim 3 including an offset in said linkadapted to clear the pivot of said treadle.

5. A footrest as set forth in claim 4 including stop means limitingpivotal movement of said treadle to position the latter in invertedpositions at different elevations.

6. A footrest as set forth in claim 5 wherein the treadle includes feetengaging portions, said feet engaging portions being substantiallyparallel to each other in the inverted positions of said treadle atdifferent elevations thereof.

7. A footrest as set forth in claim 1 including means operative to pivotsaid hanger to a storage position, and friction means operative tomaintain said hanger in said storage position.

8. A footrest assembly for vehicle seating comprising a pair ofpivotally mounted hangers, a treadle pivoted between the distal endsthereof, and means responsive to the pivotal position of said treadleoperative to lock said hangers and thus said treadle in alternateelevations.

9. A footrest assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said meanscomprises a toggle linkage having an arm extending from the proximal endof at least one of said hangers, an arm extending from the pivot of thetreadle, and a link interconnecting said arms.

16. A footrest assembly as set forth in claim 9 including stop meansprecluding said first mentioned arm from rotation in one direction aboutthe proximal end of the hanger.

11. A footrest assembly as set forth in claim 9 including a helperspring interconnecting said first arm and said link operative to assistin the movement of said assembly to the position of higher elevation.

12. A footrest assembly as set forth in claim 9 including an offset insaid link adapted to clear the pivot of said treadle.

13. A footrest assembly as set forth in claim 9 including stop meanslimiting pivotal movement of said treadle to position the latter ininverted positions at different elevations, said stop means precludingpivotal movement of said treadle in normal conditions of use.

14. A footrest assembly as set forth in claim 9 including meansoperative to pivot said assembly to a storage position, and frictionmeans operative to hold said assembly in such storage position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,116,955 1/1964 Siegal 2974363,188,140 6/1965 Hahnlein 297--426 3,375,039 3/1968 Gielow et al. 297425CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Primary Examiner

